Resources / Investing
Investing Guides
Index funds, ETFs, market returns and long-run compounding — how investing works before you pick anything.
Best Compound Interest Investments in Canada and the USA (2026)
Quick Answer: The best compound interest investments combine a competitive return rate with appropriate tax sheltering and low fees. For most Canadians,…
Read articleInvestingCompound Interest Examples: 15 Real-World Scenarios Explained
Quick Answer: Compound interest examples show how the formula A = P(1 + r/n)^(nt) applies in real financial situations — from a $10,000 GIC compounding…
Read articleInvestingMonthly Compound Interest: Formula, Tables and How It Works
Quick Answer: Monthly compound interest means interest is calculated and added to your balance 12 times per year — once per month. Each month's interest…
Read articleInvestingDaily Compound Interest: How It Works and When It Matters
Quick Answer: Daily compound interest means interest is calculated and added to your balance every single day. Each day's interest is calculated on the…
Read articleInvestingAverage Stock Market Return: Historical Data Explained
What the long-run average return of the S&P 500 actually measures, why the average is a poor description of any single year, and how inflation and…
Read articleInvestingCompound Growth Calculator: Project Your Portfolio Growth
Quick Answer: A compound growth calculator projects how a portfolio with an existing balance grows over time when you add regular contributions. It…
Read articleInvestingHow to Start Investing in 2026
Build the foundation first — emergency fund, no high-interest debt — then choose an account, pick a low-cost diversified fund, and automate the…
Read articleInvestingIndex Fund Investing Explained for Beginners
An index fund tracks a market index by holding all of its constituents rather than trying to beat it. Here is how index funds work, what they cost, and…
Read articleInvestingInvesting for Beginners: How to Start Building Wealth
What investing actually is, how risk and return relate, which account types exist in Canada and the US, and how a beginner builds a portfolio without…
Read articleInvestingHow to Use an Investment Calculator Properly
An investment calculator projects compound growth from the assumptions you feed it. Here is how to choose realistic inputs, read the output, and avoid the…
Read articleInvestingIndex Funds vs ETFs: Which Should You Choose?
Both index funds and ETFs can be excellent choices for beginners. The key insight is that ETF is a structure (traded on an exchange) while "index fund"…
Read articleInvestingCompound Interest in Canada: TFSA, RRSP, GIC, and Investment Growth Explained
Quick answer: In Canada, compound interest grows most powerfully inside tax-sheltered registered accounts — the TFSA (tax-free), RRSP (tax-deferred), and…
Read articleInvestingCompound Interest Formula: The Math Behind Exponential Growth
Quick answer: The compound interest formula is A = P(1 + r/n)^(nt), where A is the final amount, P is the principal, r is the annual interest rate, n is…
Read articleInvestingHow Long to Reach $1 Million Investing: The Complete Timeline Guide
Quick answer: At $1,000/month and a 7% annual return, it takes approximately 30 years to reach $1 million from a starting balance of zero. With a $50,000…
Read articleInvestingHow Much Will $100 a Month Grow? Investment Projections by Timeline
Quick answer: $100/month invested at 7% annual return grows to approximately $17,383 after 10 years, $52,093 after 20 years, $121,997 after 30 years, and…
Read articleInvestingHow Much Will $500 a Month Grow? Complete Investment Projections
Quick answer: $500/month invested at 7% annual return grows to approximately $87,000 after 10 years, $262,000 after 20 years, and $611,000 after 30 years.…
Read articleInvestingWhat Is Compound Interest? The Complete Guide
Quick answer: Compound interest is interest calculated on both your original principal and all previously earned interest. Unlike simple interest — which…
Read articleFor the full framework behind these guides, read the Investing pillar. To model the numbers yourself: Investment calculator, Compound interest calculator, RRSP calculator and TFSA calculator.
Build Your Investment Knowledge
Curated tools, guides, and pillars connected to this page — each one moves you further along the BankDeMark financial system.
First principles of building wealth through markets.
Open Guide →